Surfaces, including, but not limited to, finished surfaces and surfaces to be finished, commonly contain imperfections. In many cases, the surface is a painted surface (such as but not limited to a wall) or the surface is an unfinished surface that is to be painted. For example, a wall in a residential structure may contain nicks, holes or other imperfections as a result of daily activities and decorating. The foregoing nicks, holes or other imperfections are desirably repaired to maintain aesthetic qualities. In addition, when preparing buildings, drywall and other materials are joined together by jointing compositions and imperfections in the drywall surface are smoothed using such compositions. Such imperfections are sometimes merely superficial, but may pose a hazard to the integrity of the material if a protective layer of paint or other finish is breached.
Conventionally, such imperfections are filled using a patching composition, jointing composition, surfacing composition, or plastering composition (generally referred to herein as a surfacing composition), depending on the size and nature of the imperfection. The surfacing composition is applied to the imperfection, allowed to dry, and then finished as needed. When a repair is being made, the finish is applied so as to match the original surface as closely as possible. The surfacing compositions is generally further prepared, such as by sanding and priming, before the finish is applied.
However, traditional surfacing compositions have certain drawbacks. Most surfacing compositions dry to a state that does not exactly match the original surface. As a result, when finished, the repaired surface does not match the original finished surface, revealing that the area has been repaired. For example, when surfacing compositions are applied to a painted surface, the repaired surface often has a shiny or glossy appearance. This sheen can only be eliminated through additional labor, but elimination of the sheen is not always possible with some surfacing compositions. The repaired area would be more aesthetically pleasing if the surface of the patch were “flat” in appearance so as to match the original surface. In addition, when surfacing compositions are used in construction to prepare unfinished surfaces, the area to which the surfacing composition is applied may be visible after the finish is applied. Furthermore, surfacing compositions are generally primed prior to painting, or the result will be inferior adhesion between the paint and the repair, leading to blistering, flashing, and other problems. Time and labor would be saved if no priming were necessary.
Paint itself poses a major disposal problem. Household paints are considered hazardous waste. Disposal of used and unneeded paint is expensive, and is typically achieved through deposition of the paint in a landfill. Deposition in a landfill creates the possibility that the waste paint will escape into the surrounding area, causing environmental harm. In addition, the possibility that the waste paint will not be adequately contained creates potential civil and criminal liability should environmental cleanup be required.
The proposed restrictions on the sale of alkyd paint in the United States may result in large quantities of unwanted alkyd paint requiring disposal in the near future. Alkyd paints are oil-based paints in which the diluent or thinner is typically (but not always) a mineral spirit and in which the binder is an alkyd resin. Mineral spirits are volatile organic compounds (VOC). Once alkyd paint is applied to a surface, the mineral spirit evaporates, contributing significantly to VOC pollution. Proposed regulations would limit the use of alkyd paints formulated with VOC, and this will create a need for economical and safe methods of recycling these paints.
For the reasons described above, superior surfacing compositions are needed that allow the repair of a finished surface and the finishing of an unfinished surface such that the visibility of the surfacing composition is reduced as compared to prior art surfacing compositions or eliminated. In addition, superior methods of recycling and reuse are needed for both alkyd paints and other types of paints.